The present invention relates to a packet of, cigarettes.
In particular, the present invention relates to a parallelepiped-shaped packet of cigarettes comprising an outer package normally formed by folding sheet material, and an inner wrapping of foil or paper wrapped about a group of cigarettes.
Here and hereinafter, the term xe2x80x9couter packagexe2x80x9d is used to indicate an outer wrapping normally formed from a sheet of paper or from a blank of cardboard or similar; or an overwrapping formed from a sheet of transparent material; or the above outer wrapping and overwrapping combined.
Patent EP 317,202 discloses a novel tear strip or sealing strip for a package of cigarettes; the tear strip or sealing strip comprises a plastic film substrate upon which a magnetizable metal oxide coating has been deposited. The coated strip may be adhered to the package or the flexible wrapping material for the package or container, optionally, the strip may be coated with a pigment or metallized or printed with graphic indicia or any combination of these features. Information may be recorded on the magnetic coating during packaging and handling for subsequent readout.
In other words, patent EP 317,202 discloses a packet provided with a portion of magnetic tape visible from the outside, and on which is recorded data unequivocally identifying the packet; the portion of magnetic tape constitutes for the packet, among other things, a certificate of origin making any attempt to counterfeit the packet extremely complicated and expensive.
To produce such a packet, packing machines are provided with a line for supplying a prerecorded magnetic tape, from which portions containing the data relative to the packets are cut off successively.
Together with the data recorded on the respective portion of magnetic tape, it is often desirable to also provide each packet with data of interest, not so much to the maker or retailer, as to the consumer, such as the date of manufacture and, more importantly, a possible sell-by date.
Obviously, consumer-directed data cannot be recorded magnetically on the magnetic tape, by requiring special reading devices for it to be read; and neither can it be prerecorded, since information such as the sell-by date of the packet can only be applied to the packet when it is actually produced.
Patent EP 317,303 discloses to optionally printing the tear/sealing strip with graphic indicia; however, the dimensions and the location of the tear/-sealing strip does not allow giving to the consumer the desired information.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a packet of cigarettes designed to provide consumers with all necessary information in clear text, in a low-cost manner and with substantially no alterations to existing packing machines.
According to the present invention, there is provided a packet of cigarettes having a parallelepiped shape and comprising a number of sheet material packing components folded and assembled to one another to define an inner wrapping housing a group of cigarettes and an outer package; the packet having two lateral major walls and two lateral minor walls and comprising a top portion, which is openable for the extraction of the cigarettes, and a bottom portion for the storage of the cigarettes; and a label being applied to at least one of said packing components and being visible on the outside of the packet; characterized in that at least one portion of the label is defined by a portion of magnetic data recording tape, the label has printed graphic signs, and the label is applied to one of said lateral walls of said bottom portion of the packet in order to be completely arranged on only one lateral wall of said bottom portion.
The present invention also relates to a method of producing a packet of cigarettes.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of producing a packet of cigarettes having a parallelepiped shape, the method comprising the first steps of folding and assembling to one another a number of sheet material components to define an inner wrapping housing a group of cigarettes and an outer package; and a second step of supplying and applying a label to at least one of said components, so that the label is visible on the outside of the said packet; the packet having two lateral major walls and two lateral minor walls and comprising a top portion, which is openable for the extraction of the cigarettes, and a bottom portion; said label being at least partly defined by a portion of magnetic data recording tape; and the method being characterized by comprising the further step of printing graphic signs on said label during or after said second step; the label being applied to said bottom portion of the packet and to one of said lateral walls in order to be completely arranged on only one lateral wall.